A fight over snowblowing ended in a physical altercation between two men, according to officials with the Racine County District Attorney’s Office.
Jeffrey Mueller, 55, of Racine, was charged with misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct. If convicted of both charges, Mueller faces up to a year in prison and/or up to $11,000 in fines.
According to the criminal complaint, officers with the Racine Police Department were called to a home at 2426 20th St. on Sunday for a report of an assault. The complainant told police he was removing the snow from his neighbor’s property while he was out of town. While he was doing that, Mueller approached the man and said: “he was not purposefully blowing snow onto the street and he cleaned up the snow on the street.”
The man denied Mueller’s allegations and went back into his home. Later, Mueller confronted him again. But this time he “intentionally swung at him with a closed fist, connecting three times” with the man. He blocked Mueller’s punches twice, but the third time was a punch to the lip.
Mueller told police he did verbally argue with the man but denied punching him in the face, according to the criminal complaint.
Racine County Court Commissioner Alice Rudebusch released Mueller on a $500 cash bond. A preliminary hearing has been set for 8:30 a.m. April 19.